Steam cooker



f Feb. 6, 1951 c. c. YOUNG ET AL STEAM COOKER 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 31, 1947 Feb. 6, 1951 c. c. YOUNG x-:T AL

STEAM COOKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 5l, 1947 l INVENTORSL Cy '/Ca//e @ma i BY@ Feb. 6, 1951 Filed March 31, 1947 Patented Feb. 6, 19,51

STEAM COOKER Cyril Charles Young and Donald F. Troupe, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 31, 1947, Serial No. '738,478

4 Claims.

This invention relates to food processing appliances of the kind particularly adapted for domestic or small operator use and has for its primary aim the provision of cooking equipment having means for treating food products, and particularly those requiring moist heat, through the application of steam.

The most important object of this invention is to provide a steam cooker having a steam cooking compartment and a steam generating boiler in communication therewith so formed as to move live steam generated from fresh water in the steam generating boiler into the cooking compartment under pressure.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a steam cooker having means for maintaining steam Within a cooking compartment under pressure and structure for controlling not only the amount of pressure in the compartment but also the temperature therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a steam cooker having a cooking compartf ment provided with an opening in a normally bottom wall thereof within which opening is mounted a steam generating assembly in communication with the compartment, said assembly comprising a boiler and a reservoir loosely disposed within the boiler, the reservoir supplying water to the boiler for conversion into steam.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in a steam boiler having the aforesaid steamgenerating assembly as a part thereof, a reservoir of ceramic material mounted within thel boiler and having its walls spaced from the walls of the boiler to provide a space surrounding the reservoir creating a thin film of water for quick conversion into steam, the boiler and reservoir being placed into mutual communication by openings in the side walls of the said reservoir.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a steam cooker having a cooking compartment and reservoir extending thereinto, said reservoir having an open top, a number of openings in that portion thereof extending into the compartment and closure overlapping said openings to avoid exchange of avors among the foods during the cooking process.

A further object of this invention is to provide a steam cooker in the nature of that above described whereinsaid cooking compartment is provided with a swingable door having an unique latching mechanism operable to vent all steam from the compartment before the door is opened and upon manipulation of the said latch.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a steam cooker having a pressure valve for automatically venting the cooking compartments, said valve being also operable by the aforesaid latching assembly to completely evacuate theY compartment prior to opening its door.

Other objects of this invention include the manner in which combustion gases emanating from the heating burner for the steam generating assembly are directed to a flue in such manner as to surround both the reservoirI and the cooking compartment; the way in which air; condensed steam, vapors and excess steam are evacuated from the cooking compartment into a specially formed condensate pan and thence into the flue; and the manner in which the entire assembly, including not only the Way in which the said compartment is evacuated but the way in which fresh live steam is directed into the compartment, serves to permit cooking of any number of diierent types of foods simultaneously without danger or intermixing of odors and flavors of such foods.

Many additional objects will be made clear or become apparent during the course of the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a steam cooker made in accordance with our present invention, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on broken line II-II of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken on line III-III 0f Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig.v5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line V--V of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detailed cross-sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7 looking in the direction of the arrows and Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational View of the steam generating reservoir per se.

Many devices have heretofore been made adaptable to process food by the application of steam but such devices having automatic means for controlling both temperature and pressure have been impractical for home use or by small establishments. The steam cooker about to be de scribed not only embodies these features but provides an assembly of parts for simplifying cooking of foods requiring moist heat, which cooker is simple to operate, requires little attention, maintains a certainty of uniform results and is adaptable not only for preparing foods in open containers but usable as a sterilizer and particularly adaptable for canning.

Inthe drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings, the numeral l@ designates broadly a cabinet having framework I2 for supporting all the component parts of the steam cooker about to be described. A chamber I4 carried by this frame-V work I2 has mounted therein a compartment broadly designated by the numeral I6. This compartment i6 is somewhat smaller than the chamber Ill as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive and suitable brackets I6 on the walls of chamber Iii and compartment I6 respectively serve to removably support the latter. This compartment I6 comprises the steam cooking chamber and is provided with a number of horizontally disposed racks 26 in the usual manner. The normally bottom wall 22 of the compartment I6 is provided with an opening 24 near one end thereof within which is mounted a hollow boiler 26. This boiler 26 has an open top andan annular outwardly extending Ilange 23 overlapping the opening 24 in wall 22 when this boiler 26 is mounted within opening 24.

A ring 3E] defines the open top of this boiler 26 and a number of bolts or the like 32 pass upwardly through bottom wall 22, flange 28 and into the ring 36 for securing the boiler 26 to the compartment I6. A portion of the upper-most edge of this ring 36 has a pair of cut-out portions 34 within which are formed a plurality of openings 36 for placing the boiler 26 into direct communication with a compartment I 6. A closure 38 for boiler 26 overlies the cavities 34 and the openings 36 as illustrated in Fig. 9 and this closure 38 has an opening 40 therein closed by a lid 42.

Loosely disposed within the boiler 26 is a hollow reservoir 44 formed preferably from ceramic material. The cross-sectional area of this reservoir 44 is less than the inner-most cross-sectional area of the boiler 26 to present a relatively thin space circumscribing the reservoir 44 as at 46. This space 46 is maintained and the reservoir 4Q held out of contact with the walls of the boiler 26 by a number of indentations 48 embossed in the boiler 26. These bosses 48 are also formed in the bottom wall 50 of boiler 26 to hold the reservoir 44 upwardly out of engagement with this bottom wall 56 to the end that the thin space 467completely surrounds the reservoir t4, all as is clear in Figs. 2, 4 and 6. The reservoir 44 is placed into communication with a Vboiler 26 by a number of openings 52 formed in the reservoir '44 and near the bottom wall thereof. This reservoir 44 is adapted to contain a filling of water 54 which is free to flow from reservoir 44 through openings 52Y into the space 46 of boiler 26, thereby creating a thin film of Water surrounding the reservoir 44.

An L-shaped arm 56 is swingably carried within the reservoir 44 by the closure 38 and a oat B is mounted upon the free end of this arm 56. This float 58 carries an upstanding wire 6B having a flat plate 62 on the uppermost end thereof and adjacent to the opening 4D in the closure 33 when the level of the water 5t is as chamber I4 and into the flue |62. A travel of thesegases is clearly illustrated by ar- 4 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6. Removal of the lid 42 makes it possible for the operator to determine Whether or not there is sufficient water within the reservoir 44 by merely viewing the position of plate 62.

A fuel consuming burner 64 underlies the boiler 26 and has a pipe 66 leading to a suitable source of fuel supply (not shown) and a control valve 66 suitably mounted on thekface of cabinet I6 where the same is accessible to the operator.

Wall 22 of compartment I6 is provided with a second somewhat smaller opening 'I6 within which is mounted a tting 'I2 for receiving a ltering cup 'I4 and one end of a conduit T6. This conduit I6 terminates below the boiler 26 and to one side of the burner lEiland is in communication with a chamber 18. A bracket 86 within the chamber 'I8 is slotted as at 82 for receiving one end of an arm 64 which end of arm 84 is off-set as at I86. A pair of legs B8 on the arm 84 carries a cap 96 Vfor movement to and from a position closing the end of conduit I6 extending into the chamber 1B. A weight 92 secured to the arm 84 intermediate its ends serves to maintain cap 90 against the open end of conduit 'I6 where the same is closed. Thus it is clear that as the steam within compartment I6 reaches a predetermined pressure, the same will pass outwardly through the conduit 'I6 and actuate the cap 90 against the action of the weight 92 whereby the steam is free to escape. Upon such movement of cap 96 outerator may then adjust the burner 64 by manipulation of valve 68 to lessen the amount of steam passing from boiler 26 into the compartment I6.

The small chamber is open at its bottom to communi-cate with an elongated condensate pan 66 slidable on a top plate 98 mounted on the frame I2. One end of this condensate pin 96 opposite to the chamber 'I8 is in communication with a venting flue m6 for the vapors or `other condensate materials and this ilue I0!) is in turn in communication with a gas flue |02 at its upper-most end. A jacket H34 completely surrounds the boiler 26 in spaced relation thereto, and this jacket |64 depends from and is mountedV upon the lower-most wall of the chamber I4. This jacket H34 is in communication with the chamber i4 as at IE6 and extends downwardly and around the burner 64. Chamber I4 has'an outlet opening |68 into the flue I6'2 and it is clear that the burned gases emanating from the burner 64 will pass upwardly into jacket |64, The path of rows in Figs. 2 and 6 showing the way in which these hot vapors completely surround the boiler 26 as well as the compartment I6. This feature serves to fully utilize all the heat from the fuel used by burner 64 in heating not only boiler 26 but compartment I6.

The frame I2 has swingably mounted thereon, through the medium of a suitable hinge assembly I I0, a door broadly designated by the numeral H2. rIfhis door II2 is sectional and Vhas mounted therein a latch assembly designed to not only hold door IIZ in the closed position as an exteriorly mounted handle Ile which ek-` tends into the interior of door ||2 and joins with a disc IIB through the medium of a stub shaft IIB. This disc H6 has a groove IZB formed on one edge thereof to cooperate with a hook |22 on frame i2 in holding door H2 in the closed position. Door ||2 is provided with an opening |24 forrreceiving the hook |22 when the door isclosed whereby the hook |22 is disposed in the path of travel of the disc lit. The groove I 2S of disc I I6 only partially circumscribes the periphery of member H6 to the end that when handle ||4 is swung to the open position illustrated in Fig. l, the cam member il@ and the hook |22 are disengaged, permitting opening of door H2. The shaft Ilil carries a plate like cam |25 within which is disposed the disc Iii. This cam is substantially circular and is extended as at |26 to engage and actuate reciprocable rod |28 within the door H2 when the handle lili is swung to the vent position illustrated in Fig. 1. This rod |28 is vertically disposed and slidably mounted in a pair of brackets xed within door H2. Rod |28 extends downwardly through an opening in the bottom wall of door ||2 and a spring |32 yieldably maintains rod |28 at the upper-most end of its path of travel. An L-shaped link |3| is pivotally secured to a plate |52 as at |3 and this link i3d. has a projection |38 extending outwardly through a slot IM! formed in the face plate M12 of the cabinet I0. the lower-most end of rod |23 projecting outwardly from door H2. A spring Ilifi yieldably maintains link |35 in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 where extension |33 is in contact with rod |28 and where one leg of link i3d opposite to the leg thereof having extension |38 thereon rests upon a bracket lst mounted upon the inner-most face of plate |42. An L--shaped link |48 has one end of one leg thereof pivotally secured to the free end of link i3d as at |53. The other leg of this link |48 extends to overlying relationship with the chamber it and a pin |52 slidably mounted in an opening ld in chamber |8 passes through an opening in link |33 and into a slot |56 in arm 8|! to interconnect th same. l

It is clear therefore that when handle Iii is in the vent position, projection |25 of cam member |25 will contact the rod @28 to actuate links I3@ and |38 and the links will thereby pull pin |52 upwardly to move cap 9e to the open position with respect to the conduit 1S.

In all other positions of handle ihi, namely the open or the cook position, the projection |26 of cam |25 will be out of engagement with the rod |28 and the cap 3|) will thereby be free to be actuated by excess steam from cornpartment Iii. This is made possible by the sliding relationship with respect to arm 8d and pin |52 within slot |56.

It is clear from the foregoing that the steam cooker just described is virtually automatic in all respects. When the burner Eil is lighted, steam will be generated quickly within the thin chamber iii to pass upwardly under pressure through the openings 36 and into the chamber I6. Upon a predetermined amount of excess pressure in compartment it valve 9i) will automatically open and such excess pressure will flow into condensate pan 9B and thence into flues |00 and This projection |38 directly underlies |52 respectively. When the'whistling sound, made by passage of steam into slot 94 and thence into cap 90, is heard, the operator simply actuates valve 68 to decrease the amount of heat in burner et.

After the cooking process has been completed the operator actuates handle IIll to move the same from the cook position to the vent position. All steam within compartment iii is then evacuated into condensate pan 96. Upon further movement of handle Illi to the open position, the door ||2 may be opened and there will'be no out-rush of steam from compartment I6 to strike the operator.

Manifestly many changes and modications may be made in the steam cooker forming the subject matter of this application, particularly in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a steam cooker having a frame provided with a steam cooking compartment having an access opening in one side thereof, a closure for said opening shiftable to and from the closed position, and steam generating means for the compartment; a pressure actuated valve for governing the flow of steam or condensate from the compartment; a manually operable latch shiftable in one direction to a position where the closure is locked in a shut condition; and linkage shiftable to and -from a position opening the pressure valve, said latch having a part engageable with the said linkage after the closure is locked shut, and upon further movement of the latch in said one direction, to shift the linkage to said position where the valve is opened and said compartment is evacuated.

2. In a steam cooker having a frame provided with a steam cooking compartment having an access opening in one side thereof, a closure for said opening shiftable to and from the closed po sition, and steam generating means for the compartment; a pressure actuated valve for governing the flow of steam or condensate from the compartment; a manually operable latch shiftable in one direction to a position where the closure is locked in a shut condition; linkage shiftable to and from a position opening the pressure valve, said latch having a part engageable with the said linkage after the closure is locked shut, and upon further movement of the latch in said one direction, to shift the linkage to said position where the valve is opened and said compartment is evacuated; and yieldable means for holding the valve in a normally closed condition, said linkage being inoperable when said latch is shifted to an unlocked position.

3. In a steam cooker having a frame provided with a steam cooking compartment having an access opening in one side thereof, a closure for said opening shiftable to and from the closed position, and steam generating means for the compartment; a pressure actuated valve for governing the flow of steam or condensate from the compartment; a latch having parts on the closure and parts on the frame, certain of said parts on the closure being manually movable through a path of travel during the rst portion 'whereof said certain parts on the closure interconnect with certain of the parts on the frame to hold the closure shut, said certain parts on the closure being formed to engage and actuate other parts 7. on the closure and frame respectively as the latch is moved through the last portion of its path of travel, said other parts on the frame being disposed to engage and open the valve to exhaust the compartment when the former are actuated.

4. In a steam cooker, a normally-closed steam cooking compartment having a bottom wall provided with an opening; a steam generating boiler provided with a top wall in said compartment and mounted in said opening in depending relationship to said bottom wall, there being a plurality of steam outlet openings in the sides of said boiler below said top wall and spaced above said bottom wall; and a valved outlet passageway for excess steam and condensate emanating from said steam compartment, said passageway registering with said bottom Wall in a plane below the outlet openings of said boiler.

CYRIL CHARLES YOUNG. DONALD F. TROUPE.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

